Sire is a form of address for reigning Kings in the United Kingdom and in Belgium. It was formerly also used in England, France, Italy, Germany and Spain. Historically Sire had a wider usage. During the middle ages Sire was generally used to address a superior, a person of importance or in a position of authority or the nobility in general.
See also
It is probable that “sire” is a corruption of the French “monsieur”, and should be pronounced as the English “sir”; many words in English were originally spelt with a final “e” which has, over time, been discarded.
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